More People Need More Protein

Jefferson City, Mo – In a world where one in nine people are undernourished, U.S. soybean growers recognize that soy protein, livestock and biodiesel are part of the solution to feeding a growing population.

“The world has a protein gap that needs to be filled,” said American Soybean Association World Initiative for Soy in Human Health Chairman Andy Welden. “Our crop offers soybean meal for livestock feed and human food, which at the same time, creates an abundant supply of soybean oil for biodiesel.”

October 16 is annually recognized as World Food Day. The 2014 Theme is Family Farming; Feeding the world, caring for the earth. The United States produces more than 3.2 billion bushels of soybeans a year, offering an abundant supply of meal for human foods and livestock feeds as well as oil for biodiesel and other uses. U.S. soybean growers also participate in support sustainability programs for conservation and other environmental practices.

Key Facts for World Food Day include:

805 million people are estimated to be chronically undernourished in 2012–14, down more than 100 million over the last decade, according to the United Nations. The vast majority, 791 million, live in developing countries.

Developing countries will account for much of the increase in projected growth in global consumption of meats and crops in 2013-22, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The developing-country shares of the projected growth include 81 percent for meat and 83 percent for grains and oilseeds.

The American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) assists developing country entrepreneurs and leaders in filling the “protein gap” with nutritious soy-based foods as well as livestock and aquaculture feeds. See slideshare for more information.

Increased Biodiesel Production Benefits Poultry and Livestock Farmers As more soy oil is processed for biodiesel production, more soy meal is available for livestock feed and human food. See slideshare for more information.

Along with reducing the cost of livestock feed, biodiesel also adds value to animal fats. In 2013 demand for fats and oils for biodiesel production increased the value of beef tallow an estimated $567 million, pork fat an estimated $165 million, and poultry fat by more than $51 million, making the production of animal protein more economical.

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The National Biodiesel Board is the national trade association representing America’s first Advanced Biofuel. Biodiesel – made from a variety of resources including soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats – is the first EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel to reach commercial-scale production nationwide. With plants in nearly every state in the country, the industry had a record U.S. market last year of nearly 1.8 billion gallons. For more information, visit www.biodiesel.org

Since U.S. soybean farmers founded WISHH in 2000, it has worked in 24 countries to build long-term markets for U.S. soybean farmers while simultaneously fueling economic growth and agricultural value chain development in developing countries. The WISHH program is managed from ASA’s world headquarters in St. Louis. For more information, visit www.wishh.org.

Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1979, World Food Day, October 16, was first observed in 1981. For more information, go to http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/